1. Check your sprinkler system frequently and adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.
2. Minimize evaporation by watering during the early morning hours.
3. Use a layer of organic mulch around plants to reduce evaporation and save hundreds of gallons of water a year.
4. Divide your watering cycle into shorter periods to reduce runoff.
5. Only water your lawn when needed. You can tell this by simply walking across your lawn. If you leave footprints, it’s time to water.
6. Direct rain gutter spouts and other runoff towards shrubs and trees, or collect and use for your garden.
7. Use drip irrigation for shrubs and trees to apply water directly to the roots where it’s needed.
8. Install a rain shut-off device on your automatic sprinklers to eliminate unnecessary watering.
9. Reduce the amount of grass in your yard by replacing it with shrubs, ground cover, rock, granite, and/or mulch.
10. Water only as rapidly as the soil can absorb the water.
11. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway or sidewalk.
12. Don’t water your lawn on windy days. After all, sidewalks and driveways don’t need water.
13. Water your plants deeply but less frequently to create healthier and stronger landscapes.
14. Fertilizers increase water consumption. Apply the minimum amount of fertilizer needed.
15. Remember to weed your lawn and garden regularly. Weeds compete with other plants for nutrients, light, and water.
16. Next time you add or replace a flower or shrub, choose a low water use plant.
17. Use a screwdriver as a soil probe to test soil moisture. If the soil is moist, you probably do not need to water.
18. More plants die from over-watering than from under-watering. Only water plants when necessary.
19. Aerate your lawn. Punch holes in your lawn about six inches apart so water will reach the roots rather than run off the surface.
20. Make sure your sprinklers are not misting in order to prevent water lost due to evaporation and wind drift.